ABOVE: Designer Milo Baughman is set to release a new line to celebrate his 50th anniversary of working with Thayer Coggin, Inc.

MILO BAUGHMAN:
MODERN LEGEND
Avant-Garde Concepts Become Classics
In The Hands Of This Renowned Furniture Designer

ilo Baughman defines Modern design as honest, simple and straightforward – three words that coincidentally describe the Modern master himself. A purist at heart, Baughman maintains that the principles of authentic Modern haven't changed much since he began designing in the late 1940s.

"With an ongoing interest in '50s and '60s design, a lot of my work has been reintroduced and been very well-received," he says. "Increasingly, architects are using these mid-century classics from the pioneer producers of this period. I understand because I admire these as well, but it's a bit unfortunate for current designers with new interpretations of Modern. Going back to the 'classics' is playing it safe, which limits opportunities for new concepts in design."

ABOVE: The "#820-400 Chaise," one of Baughman's earliest designs for Thayer Coggin, Inc., was reintroduced in 1998. ABOVE: The "Prisma" sofa, part of the 10-piece 'Prisma Collection," was inspired by the "Memphis" movement out of Italy. BELOW: Thayer Coggin, Inc. brought back the ever-popular "951-103" chair, circa 1962, in celebration of its 45th anniversary.

Known for his "ahead-of-his-time" ideas, Baughman has unequivocally never played it safe. Luckily for him, taking risks has always resulted in great success, especially in the case of his longstanding relationship with North Carolina-based furniture manufacturing giant, Thayer Coggin, Inc.

It was 1953, and Thayer Coggin was looking to introduce "something new" to the Southern market. Baughman walked in the door with a collection of innovative designs unlike any that Coggin had ever seen. The two joined forces and became "the" Modern style makers of their time.

To date, Baughman has created hundreds of designs for Thayer Coggin, Inc., from which many of his signature pieces emerged, including the "Giant Swivel Tub Chair," 1965, the "Shelter" sofa, 1967, and the "Scoop" chair, 1953. Still designing for the company, Baughman is set to release a new line at the 2003 fall market in High Point, N.C., to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his relationship with Thayer Coggin.

"It's been a unique and extraordinary experience," says Dot Coggin, Thayer's wife and director of the company, who fondly recalls working with Baughman. "Milo designed upholstery and casegoods exclusively for Thayer Coggin while he maintained a sizable staff of draftsmen and showroom designers. Thayer had an uncanny talent for producing and engineering new products. It was like a big working family."

Baughman is more amazed than anyone about the duration of the partnership. "I think it may be a record," he says. "Thayer and I became very close friends; it's great to be able to stick with someone you enjoy working with. A 50-year relationship with one client couldn't happen without both people sharing the same design philosophy and values."

The new collection will include pieces in Baughman's characteristic style – square, minimalist and timeless – as well as a few that were considered too avant-garde for earlier introductions.

Looking at his past, it appears that Baughman was destined to design. Hailing from western Kansas, he and his family moved to Long Beach, Calif., in his infancy. When Baughman was 13, his parents built their house and gave him the chance to design the entire place, inside and out.

After serving four years in the Army Air Forces during World War II, Baughman returned to the world of design and studied architectural and product design at the Art Center School of Los Angeles and at Chouinards, the latter now known as the California School of the Arts. continued...

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